Method of making, transporting and installing soffit made by a machine that creates corrugated sheet metal soffit which soffit is coated with vinyl material which vinyl material coats one or both sides of the aluminum sheet metal prior to being fed through the machine that creates the corrugated soffit

ABSTRACT

A method of making, transporting and installing soffit made by a machine that creates corrugated sheet metal soffit which soffit is coated with vinyl material which vinyl material coats one or both sides of the aluminum sheet metal prior to being fed through the machine that creates the corrugated soffit. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading “Abstract of the Disclosure.” The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present application relates to a method of making, transporting and installing soffit made by a machine that creates corrugated sheet metal soffit which soffit is coated with vinyl material which vinyl material coats one or both sides of the aluminum sheet metal or other sheet metal such as galvanized or copper sheet metal or other sheet metal prior to being fed through the machine that creates the corrugated soffit.

2. Background Information

The present application is related to a soffit having scalloped cross-sections which is made by an apparatus such as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,912, having inventors William Culina and Charles Klus, and issuing on Dec. 25, 1979.

As shown in FIG. 5 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,912, flat sheet-metal is fed into the machine shown in that figure and corrugated sheet metal is fed out.

The soffit according to the present application has in one possible embodiment a one inch pitch between peaks, and in another possible embodiment has a one-fourth inch pitch. These peaks have a one-fourth inch radius in one embodiment and a one-fourth inch diameter in another embodiment. The radii of the peaks and transitional curves between the peaks may have a radius of approximately three-eighths of an inch and seven-sixteenths of an inch.

OBJECT OR OBJECTS

An object of the present application may be to provide less waste of soffit during installation of soffit, and thus save money. Another object of the present application may be to achieve substantial savings in the steps of shipping, handling, loading, unloading, and installing soffit. Yet another object of the present application may be minimize potential damage to soffit during storage, transportation and installation steps in the use of the soffit. Still another object of the present application may be to increase convenience during storage, transportation and installation steps in the use of the soffit. A further object of the present application may be to save time, labor, and equipment during the process of installing soffit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a photograph of a box of soffit according to at least one possible embodiment of the present application with soffit extending out of the box and a coil or roll of soffit shown outside of a box;

FIG. 2 is a photograph of soffit extending out of a box, according to at least one possible embodiment of the present application, with the soffit disposed in a bracket arrangement;

FIG. 3 is a photograph of soffit rolled out and in the process of being cut to a predetermined length;

FIG. 4 is a photograph of a portion of a yard that is fenced off with a fence that is partially decorated with soffit;

FIG. 5 is a photograph of a yard with portions of the yard fenced off with a fence that comprises soffit;

FIG. 6 is a drawing of a side view of soffit, which soffit is oriented as it would be disposed on a ceiling or roof;

FIG. 7 is a drawing of a box housing a coil or roll of soffit according to at least one possible embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 8 is a photograph of a piece of ceramic made by a mold, which mold comprises corrugated soffit according to one possible embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 8A is a photograph of a top view of the piece of ceramic as shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 9 is a photograph of a piece of corrugated metal that was used as a mold to make the piece of ceramic as shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a photograph of a piece of decorative soffit or other decorative material in a bracket according to at least one possible embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 11 is a photograph of a piece of decorative soffit or other decorative material in a bracket according to at least one possible embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 12 is a photograph of a piece of decorative soffit or other decorative material in a frame according to at least one possible embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 13 is a photograph of a piece of decorative soffit or other decorative material according to at least one possible embodiment of the present application; and

FIGS. 1BW, 2BW, 3BW, 4BW, 5BW, 8BW, 8ABW, 9BW, 10BW, 11BW, 12BW, and 13BW are black and white copies of the corresponding color photographs.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT OR EMBODIMENTS

The soffit is made in typically fifty feet to one hundred feet rolls which are placed in a box with a hole or a slot on one upper edge to permit the soffit to be pulled out of the box by unrolling of the roll of soffit in the box as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 shows a soffit in the box being fed into the overhang which could be on a house. The soffit is fed between two channels and pushed along the underside of the overhang for a house. The amount of soffit in the box can be, for example, approximately fifty feet long or about approximately one hundred feet long or any length therein between in, for example, one foot or smaller increments. The box could also contain or house less than fifty feet and more than one hundred feet of soffit. Since most houses require soffit in the lengths of typically from about twenty feet to as much as one hundred feet or more, the soffit can be installed easily by just feeding it between the channels and having the soffit guided by the channels. Such an arrangement makes the soffit in the box easy to transport and handle and install as soffit. Additionally, the soffit does not have to be sealed between sections because the soffit is in one piece along the entire length of the overhang in the house. Substantial shipping, handling and installing savings in time, labor and equipment are achieved. Only one cut is necessary in each side of the house where the soffit is being installed thereby improving the integrity of the soffit which is now in only one piece along an entire side of a building. Further, since the rolls of soffit in the box can be of any length, there will be less waste than for prior art installation of soffit which is can conventionally in twelve foot sections, such that, a portion of one soffit in twelve foot sections is wasted. In the present application, only one piece of soffit in the box is wasted or potentially wasted upon the box of soffit being finally used up. Yet further, the storage, transportation and installation of the soffit in the box is not as so susceptible to damage in any of the storage, transportation and installation steps in the use of the soffit in the box. The handling of the soffit in the box is very convenient since twelve foot lengths of softwood are rather unwieldy. The box protects the soffit during storage, transportation and installation. Soffit lying on the ground prior to installation is very susceptible to damage. Also, with the present application the soffit is installed continuously between the guides thereby eliminating one piece of soffit being fed and then a second piece of soffit being fed into the guides. Each time twelve foot soffit lengths are fed into the guides that piece of soffit must be aligned and placed in between the guides so it does not jam in the guides. With the present system using soffit in a box there is no need to align the soffit with the guides more than once after which the soffit is fed continuously between the guides until the soffit is covering the entire gap between the guides along the entire length of the building. There are substantial savings in time and expense of shipping, unloading and loading the soffit and installing the soffit.

FIG. 3 shows a length of shop soffit being cut prior to installation. The soffit is cut with a cutting board to make a right angle cut along the with of the soffit.

The same process of making the soffit and putting it into a box and installing the soffit can also be used for skirting on trailers which are used as homes. The skirting provides for an improved appearance of the house trailers where the skirting is used.

FIG. 4 shows the corrugated material similar to the soffit of the present application being used as skirting around a garden plot. In the present application, the skirting is not generally as wide as when the sheet metal material is being made as soffit.

The skirting as shown in FIG. 4 can be used as a mold for cement skirting or another kind of fencing made from another material such as plaster. Spare pieces of soffit cut from coils or rolls of soffit leftover as waste from rolls of soffit in a box can be used.

FIG. 5 shows an arrangement for using soffit as a mold or rather sheet metal that has been formed as a mold for garden decorations.

In one embodiment of the present application, the soffit or equivalent is covered with vinyl which has a layer of sticky material such as an adhesive covering one side of the vinyl. The flat sheet is first cleaned with a detergent such as Dawn®, made by Proctor & Gamble of Cincinnati, Ohio, which detergent is applied to the sheet metal and then the vinyl with sticky side down towards the sheet metal is placed on the sheet metal. After which vinyl is squeegeed to remove bubbles and irregularities in the vinyl. Vinyl is in one possible embodiment then allowed to dry and the adhesive bond between the vinyl and the sheet metal is often allowed to cure for a period of time. In another possible embodiment of the present application, Con-tact® may be used. Con-tact® is manufactured by Kittrich Corporation, which has a corporate office at 14555 Alondra Boulevard, La Miranda, Calif. 90638.

The dimensions of the peaks in the soffit material and the semi-circular portions therein therebetween may be critical to the forming of the soffit. If the peaks are too sharp, that is the radius of curvature thereof is too small, the vinyl may be stretched and stressed to a degree that could cause failures or deformations in the vinyl.

The dimensions of the peaks in the soffit material and the semi-circular portions therein therebetween may be critical to the forming of the soffit. If the peaks are too sharp, that is the radius of curvature thereof is too small, the vinyl may be stretched and stressed to a degree that could cause failures or deformations in the vinyl.

The soffit shown in FIG. 6 has peaks 2 and valleys 4. In one possible embodiment, the radi 6 of the peaks 4 have dimensions of approximately one-fourth of an inch in radius and alternatively one quarter of an inch in diameter. The dimensions of these radii can vary from one-fourth inch in diameter to one-fourth inch in radii. If the radii are to small the vinyl on the sheet metal soffit may distort or rupture. The sheet-metal may be made of any type of sheet-metal but generally is made from aluminum. The radii of the curves 8 are between three-eighths of an inch to about seven-eighths of an inch and any size there in between in hundredths of an inch.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the corrugated soffit is stored in a box 10 which is typically made from a corrugated cardboard material which material is strong enough to hold the rolled soffit in the box so that the box does not rupture during transport and use and that the soffit does not generally become damaged during transportation or use. In the upper right-hand corner of the box 10, there is a slot which is essentially as wide as the soffit stored in the box. Therefore, the soffit 1 can be easily said from the box. Another view of the soffit is shown to the left of the box and designated as 12.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the soffit 1 is fed to a bracket arrangement 12 which has a pair of guides that allow the soffit to be shoved there in between and closes the gap under the overhang of a roof. Since the soffit is fed in one piece, there is no need for numerous pieces of soffit which have conventionally twelve foot lengths which lengths must then be connected together or sealed in appropriate circumstances. Thereby, a substantial length of soffit can be fed into the guides 12 without having to join, for example, twelve foot soffit lengths together and not have to align soffit into the guides 12 a numerous number of times to fill the space between the guides 12, which reduces the labor and possibilities of damaging the, for example, 12 foot lengths of soffit.

Referring again to FIG. 3, the soffit may be cut either with the device shown in FIG. 3 or could be cut with a simpler knife arrangement or just with a knife in order to form the soffit to an appropriate length to fit between the guides along one side of a house. Alternatively, snips configured to cut metal such as aluminum sheet metal could be used to make the cut that is required and/or desired so that the soffit from the box is cut for the right and appropriate length for the side of the house on which the soffit is to be and being installed.

Now referring to FIG. 7, a cross-section of the box 10 holding the soffit is shown with a coil or roll of soffit 20 shown therein which can be fed out of the slot 22 in the box 1.

Referring again to FIG. 5, the soffit according to the present application is being used to make a mold to form a border around a part of the garden that is stronger and more rigid than soffit would the if used alone, which would allow the soffit to be used as a facing for the molded material. Alternatively, the soffit could be removed to permit the use of the molded material as the lining for the garden plot.

FIG. 8 is a photograph of a piece of plaster or ceramic which has been made using a piece of soffit or sheet metal, according to the present application, as a mold for making ceramic. In one possible embodiment, materials other than ceramic or plaster may be used to make decorative molded pieces. The piece of ceramic shown in FIG. 8 may be used for decorative purposes.

FIG. 8A is a photograph of a top view of the piece of plaster or ceramic as shown in FIG. 8. The corrugated edge of the piece of plaster or ceramic is seen in FIG. 8A.

FIG. 9 is a photograph of a piece of corrugated sheet metal that has been used in molding the piece of ceramic shown in FIG. 8. The piece of sheet metal may be a piece of soffit from a box according to the present application, which piece of soffit has been cut to a predetermined and desired length for a mold. The piece of sheet metal shown in FIG. 9 comprises a pattern of holes, which may create a corresponding pattern on a piece of ceramic molded by the patterned sheet metal. The piece of ceramic shown in FIG. 8 comprises a corresponding pattern to the piece of sheet metal in FIG. 9.

FIG. 10 is a photograph of one possible embodiment according to the present application.

FIG. 11 is a photograph of one possible embodiment according to the present application.

FIG. 12 is a photograph of a second possible embodiment according to the present application.

FIG. 13 is a photograph of a third possible embodiment according to the present application.

FIGS. 1BW, 2BW, 3BW, 4BW, 5BW, 8BW, 8ABW, 9BW, 10BW, 11BW, 12BW, and 13BW are black and white copies of the corresponding color photographs.

The components disclosed in the various publications, disclosed or incorporated by reference herein, may possibly be used in possible embodiments of the present invention, as well as equivalents thereof.

The purpose of the statements about the technical field is generally to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public to determine quickly, from a cursory inspection, the nature of this patent application. The description of the technical field is believed, at the time of the filing of this patent application, to adequately describe the technical field of this patent application. However, the description of the technical field may not be completely applicable to the claims as originally filed in this patent application, as amended during prosecution of this patent application, and as ultimately allowed in any patent issuing from this patent application. Therefore, any statements made relating to the technical field are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.

The appended drawings in their entirety, including all dimensions, proportions and/or shapes in at least one embodiment of the invention, are accurate and are hereby included by reference into this specification.

The background information is believed, at the time of the filing of this patent application, to adequately provide background information for this patent application. However, the background information may not be completely applicable to the claims as originally filed in this patent application, as amended during prosecution of this patent application, and as ultimately allowed in any patent issuing from this patent application. Therefore, any statements made relating to the background information are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.

All, or substantially all, of the components and methods of the various embodiments may be used with at least one embodiment or all of the embodiments, if more than one embodiment is described herein.

The purpose of the statements about the object or objects is generally to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public to determine quickly, from a cursory inspection, the nature of this patent application. The description of the object or objects is believed, at the time of the filing of this patent application, to adequately describe the object or objects of this patent application. However, the description of the object or objects may not be completely applicable to the claims as originally filed in this patent application, as amended during prosecution of this patent application, and as ultimately allowed in any patent issuing from this patent application. Therefore, any statements made relating to the object or objects are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.

All of the patents, patent applications and publications recited herein, and in the Declaration (if any) attached hereto, are hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in their entirety herein except for the exceptions indicated herein.

The summary is believed, at the time of the filing of this patent application, to adequately summarize this patent application. However, portions or all of the information contained in the summary may not be completely applicable to the claims as originally filed in this patent application, as amended during prosecution of this patent application, and as ultimately allowed in any patent issuing from this patent application. Therefore, any statements made relating to the summary are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.

It will be understood that the examples of patents, published patent applications, and other documents which are included in this application and which are referred to in paragraphs which state 331 “Some examples of . . . which may possibly be used in at least one possible embodiment of the present application . . . ” may possibly not be used or useable in any one or more embodiments of the application.

The sentence immediately above relates to patents, published patent applications and other documents either incorporated by reference or not incorporated by reference.

All of the references and documents cited in any of the documents cited herein, except for the exceptions indicated herein, are hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in their entirety herein except for the exceptions indicated herein. All of the documents cited herein, referred to in the immediately preceding sentence, include all of the patents, patent applications and publications cited anywhere in the present application.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,912, issued on Dec. 25, 1979, to William CULINA and Charles KLUS, and having the title “Apparatus and methods for forming panels having scalloped cross-sections,” is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in its entirety herein, except for the exceptions indicated herein.

The patents, patent applications, and patent publications listed above in the preceding paragraph are herein incorporated by reference as if set forth in their entirety except for the exceptions indicated herein. The purpose of incorporating U.S. patents, Foreign patents, publications, etc. is solely to provide additional information relating to technical features of one or more embodiments, which information may not be completely disclosed in the wording in the pages of this application. However, words relating to the opinions and judgments of the author and not directly relating to the technical details of the description of the embodiments therein are not incorporated by reference. The words all, always, absolutely, consistently, preferably, guarantee, particularly, constantly, ensure, necessarily, immediately, endlessly, avoid, exactly, continually, expediently, ideal, need, must, only, perpetual, precise, perfect, require, requisite, simultaneous, total, unavoidable, and unnecessary, or words substantially equivalent to the above-mentioned words in this sentence, when not used to describe technical features of one or more embodiments of the patents, patent applications, and patent publications, are not considered to be incorporated by reference herein.

The description of the embodiment or embodiments is believed, at the time of the filing of this patent application, to adequately describe the embodiment or embodiments of this patent application. However, portions of the description of the embodiment or embodiments may not be completely applicable to the claims as originally filed in this patent application, as amended during prosecution of this patent application, and as ultimately allowed in any patent issuing from this patent application. Therefore, any statements made relating to the embodiment or embodiments are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.

The details in the patents, patent applications and publications may be considered to be incorporable, at applicant's option, into the claims during prosecution as further limitations in the claims to patentably distinguish any amended claims from any applied prior art.

The purpose of the title of this patent application is generally to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public to determine quickly, from a cursory inspection, the nature of this patent application. The title is believed, at the time of the filing of this patent application, to adequately reflect the general nature of this patent application. However, the title may not be completely applicable to the technical field, the object or objects, the summary, the description of the embodiment or embodiments, and the claims as originally filed in this patent application, as amended during prosecution of this patent application, and as ultimately allowed in any patent issuing from this patent application. Therefore, the title is not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.

The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b):

-   -   A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the         specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably         following the claims, under the heading “Abstract of the         Disclosure.” The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent         and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine         quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the         technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for         interpreting the scope of the claims.         Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not         intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be         interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.

The embodiments of the invention described herein above in the context of the preferred embodiments are not to be taken as limiting the embodiments of the invention to all of the provided details thereof, since modifications and variations thereof may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of making soffit and transporting and installing soffit, said method comprising the steps of: mixing a dishwashing detergent, such as, original Dawn with water to a consistency which will spread easily on sheet metal and upon a vinyl sheet, such as, contac, being applied to the sheet and prevent the adhesive vinyl sheet from sticking to the sheet-metal immediately, thereby, permitting the vinyl sheet to be positioned on a sheet-metal; applying the detergent such as dishwashing detergent to at least one surface of flat aluminum alloy sheet metal; applying a sheet of vinyl with an adhesive on one side of the sheet of vinyl over the dishwashing detergent to the flat aluminum sheet metal; smoothing the vinyl sheet onto the flat aluminum sheet metal; squeegeeing with a squeegee over the applied vinyl sheet and removing bubbles and wrinkles from the vinyl sheet; running the vinyl coated sheet metal made of aluminum alloy through a corrugating machine which machine comprises at least two rollers, the first of which rollers comprises a series of peaks having a first diameter and a series of specially semicircular spaces in between the peaks which semicircular spaces have a substantially larger diameter than said first diameter, the second roller comprising a series of at least partially circular elements being configured to mate with the semicircular spaces of the first roller; forming corrugated soffit; rolling the corrugated soffit in rolls that are sufficient to cover at least one side of the house as soffit; placing the soffit after rolling into a cardboard box or other box that has a slot in one corner such that the rolled soffit extends from the bottom of the box substantially straight through said slot; loading the soffit disposed in the box onto a vehicle; transporting the box with the soffit disposed therein to a desired location; moving the box with the soffit disposed therein to a location where soffit is going to be installed in the house; moving the box to a position where the soffit is aligned with the guides in the house which are configured to receive soffit from the box containing soffit; drawing soffit through said slot in said box and pulling a length of soffit from said box; raising an end of said soffit sufficiently high to be inserted in the guides under the overhang of a roof of the building; aligning the end of the soffit with the guides under the overhang of the roof; pushing the end of the soffit between the guides under the overhang of the roof; continuing pushing the soffit between the guides until a desired length of soffit is between the guides to cover the between the wall of the house and the overhang portion of the roof of the house; cutting the soffit to length with a cutting instrument; repeating the installation steps of the first side of the house by installing soffit on another side of the house between guides on the other side of the house; and repeating the installation steps of the step immediately above until all desired sides of the house have soffit installed. 